First Loves
by junkbody
Summary: A little story about little Suki's first loves and first heartbreak.


"You should stop that," Ama's cool voice came from the doorway to the dojo. Her statement came off as callous, but the commander always sounded that way and Suki was used to it. She also had a point- Suki had been crying for half an hour and it probably wasn't good for her.  
"Sorry!" Suki hiccuped, wiping her nose on the sleeve of her training robe. She was a trained warrior, but she was also a ten year old girl and she needed to cry like one sometimes.  
"No, don't be," Ama's expression softened and she moved from her stance to Suki's side. She slid down the dojo wall to sit beside Suki, who in turn straightened herself up. "Kasu told me what happened."

Suki's gaze snapped towards the woman,  
"How did she know?" she almost cried,  
"Some girls were teasing Shiisei, and she told them off."  
"Oh," Suki shuffled in her seat on the floor, "Is she ok?"  
"Shiisei? She's fine." Ama didn't elaborate. Suki nodded weakly.  
"What were they saying?" she added after a pause.  
"Oh, the usual. No different to the things they said to you, I'm assuming,"  
Suki sniffed and tears began to run down her face again, "now she's never going to talk to me!" she sobbed.

There was a pause, as Ama watched the small girl and seemed to decide what exactly she should do.  
"Suki- listen-" she started, "those boys are idiots. All boys are, really, y'know?" she turned her body to face Suki as the girl looked up at her. "Love is just love. Those boys don't get it, and maybe Shiisei doesn't either. But I think you do, and I do. And Kasu gets that more than I do," the woman stopped to chuckle slightly at a joke that Suki did not understand.  
"Shiisei might come around one day, or she might not and that's fine. Those boys might realize they're idiots, but probably not, and who cares?"  
"Yeah, boys are stupid," Suki chimed in, wiping her nose on her sleeve, "who needs boys?"  
"That's the spirit," Ama laughed lightly, clapping her hand on the trainee's shoulder.

Suki sniffled again and dried her face on her sleeves as Ama stood and looked down on her. "Feeling better?" she asked as she helped the small girl to her feet.  
"Uh, a bit,"  
"Hmm..." the commander examined her face, which had the tell-tale blotchy redness that comes with crying for too long.  
"I think I know something that can help, follow me." she said it like an order, but Suki understood she was being compassionate. They walked to the northern side of the dojo and through a doorway, which lead to the prep room where trainees dressed and supplies were stored. The commander showed her to a low table where brushes and pots of traditional Kyoshian paint were kept. Ama knelt next to it and beckoned for Suki to do the same, and Ama began the custom of painting a warrior for duty. She knew it was a little unorthodox to paint a warrior before they were battle-ready, but then again, the things she had comforted Suki over were probably not traditionally accepted, either. Suki stayed as still as she could will her body to be, knowing how important this rite was.

"I know it's not much but…" Ama says softly as she finishes the black lines through Suki's eyebrows, "the paint is cool, so it stops any swelling, the color hides the redness in your face…" she started on the deep red for Suki's lips, "and the redness in your eyes? Well that will just make you look more terrifying." Ama finished speaking as she placed the brush back on the table. "There."  
Ama picked up a hand mirror and held it up for the young girl, "what do you think?"  
"It's beautiful," Suki says, quietly, not used to seeing herself like... _this_. She looks as elegant as a spirit, but there's something beyond that. "It's terrifying." And she meant it. Ama was right- the red around her eyes made them look irritated and angry. She looked fierce, untouchable. All things Suki had admired in the grown warriors and wanted to see in herself ever since she began her training.

"Good." Says Ama, watching Suki proudly, "that's what I like to hear." The two warriors stand up after Ama caps the paints. "Do you think you'll be ok now?" she asks Suki.  
"I know I will."


End file.
